Episode Summary

Bart Stephens has always been on the cutting edge of new technologies. He began his career with E*TRADE, pioneering online stock trading in the early 1990’s. Bart went on to become an entrepreneur, founding Oncology.com, the internet’s largest cancer-related website, before selling it to Pfizer in 2001. Then he joined forces with his brother to form Stephens Investment Management, a hedge fund and VC firm that broke new ground in the area of Nanocap investing.

Episode Notes

“[The crypto space has] got its own special culture. The folks that populate our industry are free-thinkers and renegades, and they have interesting ideas about changing the financial system as we know it.”

Bart Stephens has always been on the cutting edge of new technologies. He began his career with E*TRADE, pioneering online stock trading in the early 1990’s. Bart went on to become an entrepreneur, founding Oncology.com, the internet’s largest cancer-related website, before selling it to Pfizer in 2001. Then he joined forces with his brother to form Stephens Investment Management, a hedge fund and VC firm that broke new ground in the area of Nanocap investing.

Bart’s background as both an operating entrepreneur and venture capitalist led to the creation of Blockchain Capital in 2013. He serves as managing partner of the VC firm which focuses on the blockchain technology sector and cryptocurrency ecosystem. Today Bart shares his experience as a venture capitalist in the blockchain era, discussing the dual role of the VC and the incredible pace of the crypto industry. We talk about Blockchain Capital’s successful ICO, exploring the concept of a VC token and the value of raising capital via blockchain technology.

Bart offers his insight around explaining Bitcoin to those new to the space and gives his best advice for traditional VCs considering crypto. Listen in to understand Blockchain Capital’s agnostic approach to investment and the advancements in counterparty risk that Bart is following in 2018.

About the Show

Join Boost VC’s Founder & Managing Director Adam Draper, to learn about emerging technology from leading figures in the industry. Each episode we interview founders and investors to explore topics like startup strategy and venture capital, as well as incredible technology like bitcoin, virtual reality, AI, exoskeletons, drones, space and more.